There is a lot of information about the specific programming languages used by developers. But the popularity of the language does not necessarily translate into demand from employers. In order to gain unbiased and unparalleled insight into the dynamic world of in-demand programming languages, HackerRank conducted an in-depth review of our platform data.
We've found that despite recent uncertainty in the tech industry, the demand for skilled tech talent hasn't slowed. But the demand for key skills and competencies is not evenly distributed. Looking to 2023, we have some key predictions on how demand for certain skills will evolve.
Whichever way you measure it, 2023 is set to be a breakthrough year for developer skills. From the rise of Go and TypeScript to the demise of Swift and Ruby, here are some of those key trends.
The most popular programming languages
#1. Java
Java is a high-level object-oriented programming language used to create comprehensive applications. The language is platform independent, so it can run on any device supported by your environment.
In terms of growth relative to the market, the demand for premium Java is actually growing at a slightly slower rate than the market. But Java still has a wide margin ahead of Python, which takes second place. Its top spot is assured for the foreseeable future.
#2. Python
Python is a universal, high-level interpreted programming language and one of the most popular languages for rapid development. Python is popular and used by companies like Intel, IBM, Netflix, and Meta.
Python's demand is catching up with Java's demand. While Java grows slower than the market, Python has grown relative to the market. While Python's growth could mean it's shrinking Java's lead, the wide gap between them means we're unlikely to see anything in this trade.
#3. SQL
SQL is a standard structured query language for creating, defining, implementing, accessing, and managing relational databases. In 2022, the demand for SQL has grown steadily and managed to overtake C++. It is also growing faster compared to the market.
But while SQL has improved its demand ranking, its popularity ranking has plummeted. The third place in the SQL request ranking is way above the sixth place in the popularity ranking. The cause of this gap between supply and demand is unclear. Interest in the SQL vs. NoSQL debate has grown steadily over the past decade. Developers turning to non-relational database systems could be a contributing factor.
#4. C++
C++ is a general purpose, compiled and statically typed programming language. C++, known as "C with classes", is an extension of C with the functionality of user-defined data classes. C++'s high performance has made it the primary language for use cases that require fast rendering, including browsers, banking applications, and motion design software.
In 2022, C++ moved from third to fourth place, outperformed by the steady growth of SQL. Demand for C++ is also growing at a somewhat slower rate than the market. However, the demand for the language is not waning. C++ skills are essential to maintain existing applications and infrastructure.
#5. JavaScript
JavaScript is a dynamic scripting language for adding interactive behavior to web pages and applications. Used primarily to create interactive web experiences, JavaScript is the first interface language on our list.
In fifth place, JavaScript has almost four times the volume of sixth-place Bash. This draws attention to an important feature of this demand-driven classification. There is a big gap in volume after the top 5, so the major programming languages form their own category. While JavaScript is growing a little slower than the market, its placement in the top 5 is a safe bet.
#6. Bash
Bash is a command line language for Unix operating systems. The language allows developers (or anyone working with data) to work directly with computer files rather than using a graphical user interface (GUI). This makes it a useful skill for cloud engineers and data scientists.
Bash stands out on our list as the only popular language that hasn't resonated with developers. It will be interesting to see how this mismatch between supply and demand will affect the labor market. Will the abundance of opportunity and demand entice developers to learn the language? Or will a small talent pool of language-savvy developers force employers to pay a premium for their skills? In 2020, Bash was already associated with higher rewards than popular languages like C, C++, C#, Python, and Java.
#7. C#
C# is a general-purpose, object-oriented, component-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft in 2000 as part of its .NET initiative. C# is based on the C family of languages and shares similarities with C, C++, Java, and JavaScript.
The C# application sits in the middle of the language family. C++ far exceeds C# in demand, but C# has a tangible advantage over C.
#8th. Go
Go is an object-oriented programming language that Google developed in 2009 for networks and infrastructure. But since its release, it has evolved into a general-purpose language used in a variety of applications.
Go has been gaining popularity with developers for several years. In 2022, it was the second fastest growing language, increasing in popularity by 190%. And this popularity leads to a demand for new employees. The demand for GB has increased by 301% in 2022.
A possible side effect of Go's success is that it could hamper the growth of larger languages. Developers looking to learn a new general-purpose language can choose Go languages over those that are rarely in demand. (We're looking at you, Ruby.)
It will be interesting to see if Go has the momentum to challenge the placements of other languages on our list. While the demand for Go is growing by 140% relative to the market, C# is only growing by 10% relative to the market. Although the momentum is on the Go side, in a few years the gap between the two languages might be too big to bridge.
#9. Typescript
TypeScript is an open source object-oriented language which is an extension of JavaScript. TypeScript was developed by Microsoft in 2012 and describes itself as "all JavaScript and a little more".
TypeScript has grown in popularity over the years, ranking fourth in the GitHub 2022 Language Rankings. As with Go, we see popularity translating into demand for new hires. TypeScript saw the highest demand growth of any programming language at 392%.
It will be interesting to see how the growth of TypeScript affects JavaScript. The two are closely linked. The growth of TypeScript could come at the expense of or to strengthen JavaScript.
#10. R
R is an open source programming language for statistical computing and data analysis. Researchers and scientists use R for data visualization and statistical analysis in a range of industries, including academia, research, fintech, retail, government, healthcare, and social media .
Although it is at the bottom of our list, demand for R is growing. At around 60% over market, it has seen the fifth highest growth in demand.
#11. PHP
PHP is a widely used, open-source, general-purpose scripting language that is especially useful for web development. PHP's popularity stems from the fact that it was one of the first server-side languages that developers could integrate with HTML.
Although the demand for PHP is low compared to other general purpose languages, the growth rate is quite high. The demand for PHP has increased by around 180% compared to the market, making it the second fastest growing language after TypeScript.
PHP might have enough momentum to challenge R and crack the top ten. PHP's volume is only slightly smaller than R's, but it's growing about three times faster than the market. This spike in demand could help fix PHP's lagged reward, which ranked Stack Overflow second in 2020 and 2021.
#12. C
C is a compiled, statically typed, general-purpose programming language. As a fundamental programming language, C is considered the mother of all languages. Although it ranks second to last on our list, demand for C continues to grow. At around 70% over the market, C has had the fourth highest growth rate of any language. While it doesn't have the volume or growth to overtake PHP in the near future, its place is assured against the next two struggling languages on our list.
Interestingly, the growing demand for R from employers has not coincided with the decline in popularity of R among developers.
From 2021 to 2022, R rose from the 13th to the 15th most popular language, making it last on our list. And while R grew 59% in 2022, most other languages we assessed grew two to four times faster.
How will this conflict between supply and demand affect the labor market? Like Bash, we'll be watching to see if the growing demand is driving developer interest or increasing R skill rewards.
Read Also : How does Rare Beauty promote inclusivity and diversity in their products and campaigns?
Christina Berglund 
There is a lot of information about the specific programming languages used by developers. But the popularity of the language does not necessarily translate into demand from employers. In order to gain unbiased and unparalleled insight into the dynamic world of in-demand programming languages, HackerRank conducted an in-depth review of our platform data.
We've found that despite recent uncertainty in the tech industry, the demand for skilled tech talent hasn't slowed. But the demand for key skills and competencies is not evenly distributed. Looking to 2023, we have some key predictions on how demand for certain skills will evolve.
Whichever way you measure it, 2023 is set to be a breakthrough year for developer skills. From the rise of Go and TypeScript to the demise of Swift and Ruby, here are some of those key trends.
The most popular programming languages
#1. Java
Java is a high-level object-oriented programming language used to create comprehensive applications. The language is platform independent, so it can run on any device supported by your environment.
In terms of growth relative to the market, the demand for premium Java is actually growing at a slightly slower rate than the market. But Java still has a wide margin ahead of Python, which takes second place. Its top spot is assured for the foreseeable future.
#2. Python
Python is a universal, high-level interpreted programming language and one of the most popular languages for rapid development. Python is popular and used by companies like Intel, IBM, Netflix, and Meta.
Python's demand is catching up with Java's demand. While Java grows slower than the market, Python has grown relative to the market. While Python's growth could mean it's shrinking Java's lead, the wide gap between them means we're unlikely to see anything in this trade.
#3. SQL
SQL is a standard structured query language for creating, defining, implementing, accessing, and managing relational databases. In 2022, the demand for SQL has grown steadily and managed to overtake C++. It is also growing faster compared to the market.
But while SQL has improved its demand ranking, its popularity ranking has plummeted. The third place in the SQL request ranking is way above the sixth place in the popularity ranking. The cause of this gap between supply and demand is unclear. Interest in the SQL vs. NoSQL debate has grown steadily over the past decade. Developers turning to non-relational database systems could be a contributing factor.
#4. C++
C++ is a general purpose, compiled and statically typed programming language. C++, known as "C with classes", is an extension of C with the functionality of user-defined data classes. C++'s high performance has made it the primary language for use cases that require fast rendering, including browsers, banking applications, and motion design software.
In 2022, C++ moved from third to fourth place, outperformed by the steady growth of SQL. Demand for C++ is also growing at a somewhat slower rate than the market. However, the demand for the language is not waning. C++ skills are essential to maintain existing applications and infrastructure.
#5. JavaScript
JavaScript is a dynamic scripting language for adding interactive behavior to web pages and applications. Used primarily to create interactive web experiences, JavaScript is the first interface language on our list.
In fifth place, JavaScript has almost four times the volume of sixth-place Bash. This draws attention to an important feature of this demand-driven classification. There is a big gap in volume after the top 5, so the major programming languages form their own category. While JavaScript is growing a little slower than the market, its placement in the top 5 is a safe bet.
#6. Bash
Bash is a command line language for Unix operating systems. The language allows developers (or anyone working with data) to work directly with computer files rather than using a graphical user interface (GUI). This makes it a useful skill for cloud engineers and data scientists.
Bash stands out on our list as the only popular language that hasn't resonated with developers. It will be interesting to see how this mismatch between supply and demand will affect the labor market. Will the abundance of opportunity and demand entice developers to learn the language? Or will a small talent pool of language-savvy developers force employers to pay a premium for their skills? In 2020, Bash was already associated with higher rewards than popular languages like C, C++, C#, Python, and Java.
#7. C#
C# is a general-purpose, object-oriented, component-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft in 2000 as part of its .NET initiative. C# is based on the C family of languages and shares similarities with C, C++, Java, and JavaScript.
The C# application sits in the middle of the language family. C++ far exceeds C# in demand, but C# has a tangible advantage over C.
#8th. Go
Go is an object-oriented programming language that Google developed in 2009 for networks and infrastructure. But since its release, it has evolved into a general-purpose language used in a variety of applications.
Go has been gaining popularity with developers for several years. In 2022, it was the second fastest growing language, increasing in popularity by 190%. And this popularity leads to a demand for new employees. The demand for GB has increased by 301% in 2022.
A possible side effect of Go's success is that it could hamper the growth of larger languages. Developers looking to learn a new general-purpose language can choose Go languages over those that are rarely in demand. (We're looking at you, Ruby.)
It will be interesting to see if Go has the momentum to challenge the placements of other languages on our list. While the demand for Go is growing by 140% relative to the market, C# is only growing by 10% relative to the market. Although the momentum is on the Go side, in a few years the gap between the two languages might be too big to bridge.
#9. Typescript
TypeScript is an open source object-oriented language which is an extension of JavaScript. TypeScript was developed by Microsoft in 2012 and describes itself as "all JavaScript and a little more".
TypeScript has grown in popularity over the years, ranking fourth in the GitHub 2022 Language Rankings. As with Go, we see popularity translating into demand for new hires. TypeScript saw the highest demand growth of any programming language at 392%.
It will be interesting to see how the growth of TypeScript affects JavaScript. The two are closely linked. The growth of TypeScript could come at the expense of or to strengthen JavaScript.
#10. R
R is an open source programming language for statistical computing and data analysis. Researchers and scientists use R for data visualization and statistical analysis in a range of industries, including academia, research, fintech, retail, government, healthcare, and social media .
Although it is at the bottom of our list, demand for R is growing. At around 60% over market, it has seen the fifth highest growth in demand.
#11. PHP
PHP is a widely used, open-source, general-purpose scripting language that is especially useful for web development. PHP's popularity stems from the fact that it was one of the first server-side languages that developers could integrate with HTML.
Although the demand for PHP is low compared to other general purpose languages, the growth rate is quite high. The demand for PHP has increased by around 180% compared to the market, making it the second fastest growing language after TypeScript.
PHP might have enough momentum to challenge R and crack the top ten. PHP's volume is only slightly smaller than R's, but it's growing about three times faster than the market. This spike in demand could help fix PHP's lagged reward, which ranked Stack Overflow second in 2020 and 2021.
#12. C
C is a compiled, statically typed, general-purpose programming language. As a fundamental programming language, C is considered the mother of all languages. Although it ranks second to last on our list, demand for C continues to grow. At around 70% over the market, C has had the fourth highest growth rate of any language. While it doesn't have the volume or growth to overtake PHP in the near future, its place is assured against the next two struggling languages on our list.
Read Also : How does Rare Beauty promote inclusivity and diversity in their products and campaigns?Interestingly, the growing demand for R from employers has not coincided with the decline in popularity of R among developers.
From 2021 to 2022, R rose from the 13th to the 15th most popular language, making it last on our list. And while R grew 59% in 2022, most other languages we assessed grew two to four times faster.
How will this conflict between supply and demand affect the labor market? Like Bash, we'll be watching to see if the growing demand is driving developer interest or increasing R skill rewards.